Fast-changing consumer preferences require a rapid response from manufacturers, driving demands for processing and packaging technologies that provide greater flexibility, sustainability and efficiency. This fall, the destination for solutions is PACK EXPO Las Vegas (Las Vegas Convention Center, September 28-30), owned and organized by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

To help food brand owners, processors and manufacturers easily locate the solutions and suppliers they need, PACK EXPO Las Vegas will include industry-specific pavilions and features such as the Baking & Snack Break Lounge (Upper South Hall, Booth S-7427), hosted by the Biscuit and Cracker Manufacturers Association (B&CMA,) and the Beverage Cooler Lounge (Upper South Hall, Booth S-7429), hosted by the International Society for Beverage Technologists (ISBT).That’s in addition to other show floor features, including:

• The Brand Zone (Lower South Hall) will feature solutions to help manufacturers make strong, differentiating statements with their packaging. This pavilion will showcase the latest material and container innovations in a wide range of substrates, state-of-the-art labeling and decorating technologies, and resealing closures. The Brand Zone is also home to the Dow Chemical Company-sponsored Annual Showcase of Packaging Innovations, which features an inspiring array of award-winning designs.
• The Processing Zone (Upper South Hall) will highlight front-of-line processing solutions for manufacturers in the baking and snack, beverage, meat and poultry, dairy and confectionery industries. With more than 190 exhibitors showcasing processing solutions, it’s the perfect starting place to find technologies for increasing efficiency, achieving total system integration and ensuring safety.
• The Reusable Packaging Pavilion (Lower South Hall), sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), will present over 30 exhibitors who can help manufacturers reduce waste, cut costs and gain chain efficiency. If you’re considering how reusable packaging can help your bottom line, start here.

In addition to technologies, PACK EXPO Las Vegas will give you access to a wide range of education offerings at no charge. The Innovation Stage (Booth C-1041) will present 30-minute seminars throughout the day, with a focus on breakthrough technologies and techniques suitable for applications in a wide variety of industries. The Food Safety Summit Resource Center (Booth S-7632), presented by the Food Safety Summit, will offer talks by subject matter experts on best practices and recent advances in areas such as HACCP, food fraud, federal and state regulations, environmental monitoring, allergens and compliance with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

At the Center for Trends & Technology (Booth C-4829), brought to you by Rockwell Automation and its Partner Network, attendees will learn about the absolutely latest advances that can improve production in exciting ways. The center will cover topics such as a connected enterprise working environment, network connectivity, security, remote access, safety, serialization and line integration.

Other innovations you can expect to see at the show:

American Process Systems, a member of the Eirich Group (Booth S-7101), will introduce the OptimaBlend fluidizing paddle blender at PACK EXPO. The newest addition to a complete line of mixing equipment, the blender mixes difficult, diverse ingredients five times faster than a ribbon blender and balances mixing speed and efficiency with energy savings.

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas, eWON (BoothS-6436) will showcase the Cosy 131 full range of industrial virtual private network (VPN) remote access routers with local area network (LAN), Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity options. Higher uptime requires 24/7 monitoring and reactivity, and the Cosy 131 routers are highly adaptable, compact and cost-effective remote access solutions that establish secure VPN connection with full flexibility available at customer sites.

The Dynamic Conveyor (Booth S-6212) DynaClean Vertical Z conveyor is a cost-efficient solution for food processing facilities that need to move food products to higher elevations. The patented conveyor system is easier to clean and sanitize than traditional bucket elevators, resulting in a lower cost of ownership and reduced downtime. The system is customizable to desired heights and includes widths up to 24 inches and a variety of belt styles.

The industry’s fastest automatic chub loaders will debut at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. The JLS Automation (Booth C-4703) Osprey CL automatic chub loader solves food processors’ challenges in automating the case packing of chub packs. The system features simple product handling, end-of-arm tooling and case handling, as well as a sanitary design and a modular system design that enables faster changeovers.

To register for PACK EXPO Las Vegas, visit packexpolasvegas.com